'The Distant Sea' wins top prize at Morocco’s National Film Festival in Tangier

The feature film “The Distant Sea” (Al-Bahr al-Baʿid) by director Saïd Hamich Benlarbi won the Grand Prize at the 25th edition of Morocco’s National Film Festival, which wrapped up Saturday night with a closing ceremony at the Palace of Arts and Culture in Tangier.

The 117-minute film follows Nour, a 27-year-old who migrates irregularly to Marseille and lives on the city’s margins through small trade and a bohemian lifestyle shared with friends. His life takes a dramatic turn when he meets Serge, an enigmatic police officer, and Serge’s wife, Noémie. Spanning a decade—from 1990 to 2000—the film explores Nour’s emotional tension between his Moroccan roots and the disorienting freedom of exile.

Through Hamich Benlarbi’s screenplay, the film tackles issues of adaptation, migrant integration, and the social and cultural challenges of life abroad.

In the feature-film competition, directors Maadan El-Ghazwani (“Moufita”) and Nabil Ayouch (“In Love with Touda”) shared the Jury Prize, presided over by filmmaker and screenwriter Hakim Belabbes.

Hamich Benlarbi also received the Best Director Award for “The Distant Sea.” The Production Award went to “Al-Marja Al-Zarqa” (The Blue Meadow) by Daoud Oulad-Sayed, who also shared the Screenplay Award with Abdelmajid Seddati and El-Hussein Chani.

Nisrine Erradi won Best Actress for her role in Ayouch’s “In Love with Touda,” while Abdelnabi Benioui took Best Actor for “Moufita.”

Reem Fouklya earned Best Supporting Actress for “The Distant Sea,” and Omar Boulaqirba received Best Supporting Actor for the same film. “In Love with Touda” also won Best Sound and Best Cinematography.

The Best Original Score award went to “Al-Marja Al-Zarqa,” while Anas Lakhmass won Best Editing for Sanae Akroud’s “The Commandments.”

In the short-film competition, Randa Maroufi’s “Lamine” took the Grand Prize, and Hicham Amal’s “Mirror for Sale”received the Jury Prize, chaired by filmmaker Halima El-Wardighi. The Screenplay Award went to “Sheikha” by Ayoub El-Yousfi and Zahra Erraji, while Sanae El-Alaoui earned a special mention for “Aïcha.”

For documentary features, the Grand Prize went to “Proud, Hanging, and a Bit Stubborn” by Mohamed Akram El-Massi. The Jury Prize was shared by Mohamed Reda Akznay’s “I Will Not Forget You” and Simone Bitton’s “A Thousand and One Days: Haj Edmond.” The Creativity Award went to “Arhil” by Mohamed Fadel El-Jemani, and “Prisoners of Waiting” by Loubna El-Younsi earned a special mention.

In the film-school category, the Grand Prize went to “Mabrouk Sidi Khai” by Achraf El-Afia. The Jury Prize, chaired by director Tayeb Bouhennana, went to “The Last Silence” by Mahmoud El-Asri, while “With the Wind” by Inas Louhir received a special mention.

The Moroccan Film Critics Association awarded its Critic’s Prize for best feature to “The Distant Sea,” with a special mention for “Moufita.” The documentary “Arhil” won the critics’ prize in its category, while Amal’s “Mirror for Sale”took the short-film prize, and Maroufi’s “Lamine” received a special mention.

The Don Quixote Prize, presented by Morocco’s network of film clubs, went to “Moufita.”

Beyond the competition, audiences enjoyed screenings in the “Panorama of Moroccan Cinema” section, featuring films such as “Bitter Algae,” “Hadda and Krimo,” “The Hero,” “The Game of Life,” “The Tent,” “El-Mahi,” and “My Routine.”

The closing ceremony also honored actress Fatima Atef for her distinguished contributions to theater, television, and film.

Held under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI from Oct. 17 to 25, the Tangier National Film Festival remains Morocco’s most significant cinematic event, celebrating artistic creativity, cultural diversity, and dialogue among filmmakers and audiences alike.